Arcadia Public School Celebrates!

It’s been a very busy year at Arcadia Public School and all in our tight knit little community were much in need of a break and the chance to get together and celebrate a year of great progress and achievement.

Our fabulous Kindy parents came up with the perfect way to send out the school year with a bang and treated us all to a traditional Maori hangi. How lucky we are to have the Pakinga family join us this year and introduce our community to this very special Maori tradition.

Preparations began in earnest the day before, as the hangi pit was dug and the fire set. An eager crowd of students gathered around to watch the next morning, as a huge fire was lit. By that afternoon, after the embers were cleared, the feast of pork, lamb and chicken was lowered into the pit and covered over with banana leaves, cloth and earth to bake away until sundown.

As the eager crowd began to arrive later that evening, a Maori prayer was said by one of the extended Pakinga clan and the feasting began! Our creative students all added to the colour of this lovely event with their beautiful artworks – that were auctioned off that evening. Spirted competition (and big cheque books) were required to secure these treasures - but we were again reminded of the amazing generosity of our school community. The money raised by the auction will pay for robotics and coding software that will be put to good use by all students in the New Year.

It was a very special evening that we hope will become a regular event. It felt as if we were all embraced in the fun and warmth of the Maori family tradition - combined with the bonds of the Arcadian school community. This is a school steeped in tradition and history and we were adding to the richness of the fabric that makes Arcadia Public School so unique.

Contact the school office on 9653 1207 or visit our website www.arcadiaschool.com.au to find out more about our wonderful school.